230 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



obtaining soil for vine-borders is to take the top spit of an old pas- 

 ture, and when this has been stacked it will in many cases be found 

 an excellent soil for the purpose ; but it cannot always be ob- 

 tained, and in some instances, where the pasture is on heavy 

 land, it is by no means the most desirable, although it may be 

 used if there is no other at hand. If the natural soil is unsuit- 

 able, and the expense of purchasing has to be faced, it is wiser 

 to take some trouble in procuring a sound, fibrous, turfy loam 

 than to endeavour to save a few shillings by using what can be 

 had on the place. The roots of the vine require a free, porous, 

 yet firm soil, one through which air and moisture can pass 

 readily, conveying the needful nourishment and warmth, but not 

 so loose that it becomes quickly and frequently dried or subject 

 to sudden changes of temperature. One constituent is absolutely 

 essential in a soil for vines, and that is lime in some form, and 

 unless it is present in sufficient quantity success will be of short 

 duration, even if it be attained at all. It is surprising how easily 

 one may be mistaken in supposing that a soil must, from its 

 position, contain lime, whereas it may be either absent or the pro- 

 portion too small to be of any practical service. Instances will 

 no doubt occur to many where unexpected troubles have had to 

 be encountered in the stoning and swelling of Grapes after they 

 have promised well, or even given good results for a season or 

 two — and how puzzling this has been at the time ! I have myself 

 had such difficulties to overcome, and without exception, when it 

 lias not been obvious that there has been a deficiency in some 

 other direction, an application of lime has removed, or at least 

 greatly reduced, the evil, and that much more quickly than many 

 would suppose who had not tried it. Since Grapes imperfectly 

 stoned cannot be expected to keep well, I regard the presence of 

 lime, or its provision when deficient, as one of the most important 

 essentials in the attainment of our object. 



The days are long since past when it was deemed helpful to 

 bury the carcases of animals at the roots of vines, or to charge 

 the borders with rank manures, under the impression that it was 

 impossible to feed the vine too liberally. Cultivators now aim at 

 something quite different, because it has been found that a sweet, 

 wholesome, sound soil is far better for the vine, especially at the 

 beginning of its career, than a coarse, stimulating diet, which 

 only encourages a gross succulent growth that can seldom be 



